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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 9

Pros:

Very good build quality Manual focus over ride

Cons:

Just a little corner softness

Bought my copy new in 2010 from B&H just before they went out of stock.
Would have liked the Pentax 50 -135mm but that was just too expensive in New Zealand.
Also worried about the reported SDM failure rate with the Pentax.

Unlike the tested copy here, mine is almost perfect at 50mm straight from F2.8 (as good as my Pentax A50 F1.7mm prime).
Progressively softens off towards the top right hand corner as it is zoomed out.
Worst at 150mm but still correctable by stopping down to F8.
From 70mm to 100mm, F5.6 - F6.7 is needed to sharpen up the corner.
However centre sharpness at F2.8 at all zoom lengths is very good, very useable.

CA is minor at all zoom settings and correctable in raw software. (I always shoot raw)
Distortion is also minor and correctable.

Used on 4 different bodies but now lives permanently on a K30 - no focusing issues at all on that body.
Fast, silent, reliable and almost 100% accurate.
I have been very satisfied with this lens. It's a great street lens.

I agree with Andrews caveat -- make sure you have a good copy before you buy.

RogerB

Registered: May 2009Posts: 2

Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 II EX DC HSM APO review by RogerB

Review Date: 5/10/2009

Would you recommend the product? No |
Total Spent: $700.00| Rating: 3

Pros:

sharp lens, good contrast

Cons:

Poor quality control - lens keeps breaking down

My copy of this lens (in Canon fit) was let down by a consistent failure of the autofocus motor in the lens. I had to send it back to Sigma twice to be fixed. And I do not use the lens much. They did fix the lens quickly, but I do not expect 2 failures in such an expensive product.
Buyer beware!

sgnirts

Registered: January 2009Posts: 7

Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 II EX DC HSM APO review by sgnirts

Review Date: 2/5/2009

Would you recommend the product? No |
Total Spent: $599.99| Rating: 5

Pros:

Great range, easy handling, nice looking build, quick focus.

Cons:

Very soft from f2.8-f4, never gets tack sharp, lots of CA, not consistant in focus accuracy.

I had the highest hopes for this new version of the Sigma 50-150mm HSM II, I really needed the range and a fast f2.8 ability. I guessed i would need to stop the Sigma down at 150mm to get sharpness, put you really have to stop this lens down a lot, at every focal length to get results you can be proud of. Sadly, my Nikon 55-200mm VR starter zoom is sharper at every focal length and every aperture..YES, the Nikon 55-200mm is sharper, focuses about the same speed ( the Nikon, hits the target more often), the Nikon has better contrast and color too...yes, I sent the Sigma back. I was told by 47th street photo on the phone, that they thought the lens was defective. Once the Sigma arrived at 47th street photo they told me their tech tested it and it was "fine without issues". Of course I am still fighting to get me refund from 47th street (I should have purchased from Adorama or B&H!!). Maybe the 50-150mm III will get it right.

I picked up a used Nikon 80-200mm f2.8 ED today, the Nikon looks great stopped down to f3.5 and is built like a tank! Save your time/hassle and just pick up a Nikon zoom in this range...I only wish the Nikon was as light as the Sigma, nothing more.

HighSierra

Registered: June 2008Posts: 13

Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 II EX DC HSM APO review by HighSierra

Review Date: 10/7/2008

Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: $650.00| Rating: 9

The lens produces very satisfying sharp images throughout the zoom range. Not quite as bitingly sharp as the 50 1.8, 85 1.8 , and 180 2.8 primes it replaced, but close enough for the convenience of a zoom to win out. I also feel this lens produces nicer bokeh than any of those three (rounded 9-blade aperture anybody?)

My only real issue with the image quality is a type of CA which occurs most noticeably around OOF areas when stopped down, as it is not correctable via normal means. The lens exhibits very little CA in areas which are in focus. There is a bit of vignetting at the long end, but that is easily correctable. Distortion is usually not a significant issue.

The HSM is true ring-type, super quick and quiet. The lens is built very nicely, like a solid block, and both control rings are wide and nicely damped. This is the best manual-focus AF lens I've owned.

lextalionis

Registered: October 2007Posts: 82

Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 II EX DC HSM APO review by lextalionis

Review Date: 3/21/2008

Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: $755.00| Rating: 9

Pros:

Good build and fast AF.

Cons:

Not much...a little edge-softness at 2.8 and zoom ring too close to camera body.

Pros: Good build and fast AF.

Cons: Not much...a little edge-softness at 2.8 and zoom ring too close to camera body.